ID vs. IQ

I remember the reading the results of a poll commissioned by CNBC in September and shuddering that “these people are called voters.” Even jurors. Hart Research/ Public Opinion Strategies interviewed 812 people in a sample which they claim has an accuracy of plus/minus 3.4%. They asked their interviewees questions about “two” different subjects: Obamacare vs. the Affordable Care Act. Obviously, these are precisely the same thing, but the results suggest that Americans don’t drill down to much more than labels in their decision-making, with too many outsourcing their opinions to third party political or media powers.

CNN (September 27^th) summarized the results: “46% of the group that was asked about ‘Obamacare’ was opposed to the law, while 37% of the group asked about the ‘Affordable Care Act’ was opposed to the law…  At the same time, more people support ‘Obamacare’ (29%) than those who support ACA (22%). In other words, having ‘Obama’ in the name ‘raises the positives and the negatives,’ as CNBC put it… It's also important to note that 30% didn't know what the ACA was, compared to 12% who weren't familiar with Obamacare, according to the poll.” The issue is tearing America apart, gridlocking Congress, threatening to put the United States in default which, if the worst is to be believed, could send the dollar into a tailspin and restart the recession if not a depression. And too many Americans don’t even know what the fight is about!

As many conservative states, gerrymandered to the hilt, often focus on reinstating voter ID laws, as they cut education budgets as part of what they refer to as a “slimdown” (not a “shutdown”), Americans are, according to CNN editorial contributor (and lecturer at Northwestern University), L.Z. Granderson, getting just plain too “dumb.” In an October 14^th CNN.com editorial, he looked at a recent international study that included American educational levels among adults: “’[T]he Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released its findings from the Survey of Adult Skills. The group's research measured the literacy, math and computer skills of 5,000 adults from 16 to 65 and compared those numbers with that of 21 other countries…The good news is that we didn't finish last in anything.

“The bad news is that we're in pretty sad shape when not finishing last is the good news… Trailing every country in the survey except Italy and Spain in math is rough. But how the OECD's findings may play a role in elections and the economy is disturbing.

“According to the report, ‘individuals who score at lower levels of proficiency in literacy are more likely than those with higher proficiency to ... believe that they have little impact on the political process.’ Also ‘in most countries, individuals with lower proficiency are also more likely to have lower levels of trust in others.’…U.S. adults ranked 16th in literacy proficiency.

“The OECD findings seem to be consistent with that of the U.S. Department of Education, which estimated back in 2009 that some 32 million adults lacked the proficiency to read a newspaper. This was captured by a witty USA Today headline about the findings: ‘Literacy study: 1 in 7 U.S. are unable to read this story.’”

But education is no longer considered a major American value. As developing nations throw all they’ve got to educate their populations, to prepare their workforce for a truly competitive global environment, Americans don’t even look at the fact that their crumbling educational system will make them the second (third?) class brains of the future employment marketplace… unable to earn enough to repay federal debt or pay for a world-competitive government in the very, very near future. To most Americans, that nasty educational system isn’t even a major issue we need to deal with. Granderson continues: “When Gallup asked Americans what was the country's top problem, after dysfunctional government, the top-listed items were the economy (19%), unemployment (12%), the deficit (12%) and health care (12%). Sadly education didn't crack the top five, despite being the one area that really links them all.

“‘Proficiency in literacy, numeracy and problem solving in technology rich environments is positively and independently associated with the probability of participating in the labour market and being employed, and with higher wages,’ the new OECD report stated… Educators will tell you the best catalyst for prolonged academic success is early childhood education… Among the 38 OECD and G20 countries that participated in a report released last year, we were 28th in the percentage of 4-year-olds who are receiving early childhood education.”

The New York Post responded to the OECD report with this headline: U.S. adults are dumber than the average human. It’s funny… until you think about it. A recent Gallup Poll tells us that 60% of voting Americans think it is time for a third, moderate but fiscally responsible political party to enter the scene. Why do I get the feeling it won’t be called the “Education Party.”

I’m Peter Dekom, and somehow I don’t really thing we should be happy getting the government we deserve.